PODCAST – The Death of the Golf Cart (as we know it)
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PODCAST – The Death of the Golf Cart (as we know it)

PODCAST – The Death of the Golf Cart (as we know it)

It’s all but universally agreed upon that golf has a pace of play issue.

In a world that increasingly demands instant gratification, the traditional 4-hour round is a stretch, while the far-more-common-than-it-should-be 5-hour round is a deal-breaker. Wouldn’t it be nice if 18 holes could be played in 3 hours or less?

That’s perhaps ambitious, but this year’s PGA Show featured a selection of products that aim to increase pace of play and significantly reduce the time it takes to play a round of golf. Listen as MyGolfSpy founder, Adam Beach, discusses two possible solutions; Tagmarshal and the single rider golf cart.

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      Simon

      5 years ago

      At my course we do cart and walking golf and there is not much difference in pace if the guys play appropriately. They got Tagmarshal and I can honestly say that we as members have never been happier, it informs everyone, there are facts and data for the club to manage the slow guys with before they mess up the day. We used to have anything from 4 to 5.5hr rounds. Now it is 4hrs, 4.10hrs and thats it. They even put a TV with live play on a map in the clubhouse. It definitely works.

      Reply

      Bob Heino

      5 years ago

      Learning how to play efficiently is something that needs to be taught. 2 beginning golfers in a cart together is a big problem. Taught 2 nephews last year, where to leave the cart, who handles the cart and who walks. Has to taught.

      Reply

      Duffy McHackster

      5 years ago

      the comments have pretty much nailed all the issues regarding slow play and all of them stem from the player. no amount of cart tech can fix that. any chance of solving the issue needs to come from both the players (who need to try the ready golf, over thinking etc) and the authorities at all levels (pros as well as recreational types, who need to instill the necessity of following the requirements to speed things up, and to step in with some form of consequence for those who don’t).

      Reply

      TonyG

      5 years ago

      Solving Slow Play
      1. Tell customers when they book their tee time during peak hours – “We strictly adhere to a 4 hour round. Those that cannot maintain that pace of play will be asked to skip a hole or leave the course”. Letting groups play through only slows play more
      2. Repeat the 4 hour rule at check in. Also encourage double bogey max scores.
      3. Use 9 or 10 minute spacing between tee times. The amount of times gained by going 7 minute spacing does not justify the extra angry customers.
      4. Properly instruct marshals how to do their job. They are there to assist players in speeding up not simply warning them and driving away. Help find balls, give yardages, even rake bunkers to help speed them up. If this does not work in a short period of time, tell them to skip a hole. You may make 4 people angry but hundreds very happy.
      5. Proper course setup is also essential during peak times. Do not set hard pin placements or set tee markers back the first few holes. Rough heights should be low enough that a ball can be spotted from 30 yards. Have yardages clearly marked throughout the course so those without range finders aren’t taking forever looking for a distance.
      There are many more minor details involved but my courses always had better than average times.

      Reply

      Caroline

      5 years ago

      I know in Southern California most public courses under $50 dollars live and die on the over 50 crowed during the week, you start pushing them and your course is not going to be around for long. Having worked at 3 of them I can tell you EVERY paying round is important and leaning to much on speed of play is a looser…

      Reply

      Neil

      5 years ago

      I understand what you’re saying. I don’t think anyone wants to push seniors (or even more importantly, beginners) off the course…I’m a senior myself and my wife is a beginner.

      I think every course is going to have to decide what new speed rules are necessary for their business situation. Note I said business, not local golf association. Local golf associations are extremely valuable…even indispensable…but they can get very protective of their members and their league play. If a course will make more money with quicker rounds, use the new ideas. If not, stay with what makes money…just make sure you understand the needs of all the clients, not just the regulars.

      Neil

      5 years ago

      I agree with everything you’ve said. I especially like the pin placement and rough thoughts.

      Reply

      Neil

      5 years ago

      Slow rounds are a multi-faceted problem. Technology is the easiest problem to fix (new carts, ball finding electronics, etc.). The harder issues surround the golfer. Skill is an issue. Some golfers feel like they are entitled to as much time as necessary to play from the back tees and always by the rules. This brings up the rules. Other countries have a three foot ring around the hole for gimmes…yes even when $5 or the championship of the F Flight is on the line. Adopt rules that speed up the game like insisting on “playing it forward”. Probably the most important change is mental. We need to start thinking of greens fees as essentially renting a “time slot” in a well paced game. You must keep up or you’re out…yep, you might actually have to pick up your ball after you’ve hit the ball par +3 times.

      Reply

      Tony

      5 years ago

      I think a fair bit of slow play comes from lack of skill. A 30 handicap who has to try and find several balls a round is obviously going to take longer.

      Combine four players in the same group who are all above a 24 handicap and you’ve instantly created a group that will slow the whole field down.

      How about making a rule that a groups total handicap can’t go over 75?

      Yes there are people who are jerks and play painfully slow but skill level of a group needs to be factored in as well.

      Reply

      Bill O

      5 years ago

      That’s a valid opinion, but try and look at it from the golf course owner/managers side of the fence. Course closures are outpacing new openings, and most operators will try and balance paying customers and tee times to the best of their ability. We need players, regardless of handicaps.

      Reply

      Ben

      5 years ago

      If you’re wearing white pants, you’ve got bigger problems than getting them dirty.

      Reply

      Andrew Han

      5 years ago

      I think the real culprit to slow play is the s skill level. Since you can’t prohibit players from playing on public courses, the only technology that I can think of helping would be a shot tracer. You also need a Marshall to regulate. Possibly a button on the carts to call on demand.

      Reply

      Edward Brumby

      5 years ago

      I regularly play golf in 3 hours in a foursome that averages a 16 handicap. (We’re the second group out so there is no one to slow us down). Slow play is not caused by the skill level, its caused by: players not playing ready golf, players not going to their ball and getting ready to hit a shot while others are hitting theirs, excessive time on the greens, expecting to ride in the cart ten yards rather than walk up to your ball while you’re partner is going to his, not thinking about your shot till its your turn to hit.

      Reply

      Caroline

      5 years ago

      Will agree to all of this…but you have too many players watching LPGA and PGA golf and they think the methods pros use to get around must have something to do with their low scores….if a pro has to read the green from both sides before he/she putts that must be the secret to making more putts etc…..BIGGEST reason for slow play is everyone thinking they have to watch the other guy shots and we all know it is the basic “I hope he/she hits a bad shot”…

      Frank Wiater

      5 years ago

      The biggest thing I see slowing the pace of play is high handicappers thinking they are tour pros, and looking over every single one of their 120 shots per round like they were gonna win the US Open. But I agree with Adam that carts slow down the pace of play because there are too many golfers that don’t know how to use a cart. Two guys on opposite sides of the fairway don’t need to hold hands all the way down the fairway, then sit there and watch as the guy hacks up his next shot. Drive over to the first players ball, drop him/her off, go hit your shot and come back and get them as they have already hit their shot. I play with a group of 4 guys in their late 50’s early 60’s every week and we don’t rush at all. But we have no problem finishing 18 holes on a 137 slope course in the 2 hour 30 to 2 hour 45 minute range. Play ready golf. We have dinner after and I’m still home in 4 hours or less. I have seen guys 10 ft apart on the course and one guy sits in the cart while he hits, then they drive 5 ft over to the other guys shot, then he gets out, checks his yardage, checks the wind, and has to select a club. As they both proceed to miss the green by 30 to 40 yards. That is the recipe to a 6 hour round.

      Reply

      TonyG

      5 years ago

      As a former golf course manager, I think we are confusing 2 subjects; the current golf cart and slow play. While I agree golf carts are long over due for change, the current version of a golf cart has little to do with slow play. Correcting slow play is possible but it needs a many faceted approach. Four hour rounds are easily obtained with proper management. Less than four hours would require a change in the philosophical nature of the game.

      Reply

      TR1PTIK

      5 years ago

      You are correct that the golf cart itself is not the issue. The issue is how golfers use carts. Unfortunately, golfers aren’t doing much to change the way they use their carts and therefore the easiest solution is to get rid of the two-seater and formulate a different approach. Granted there are other factors at play, but let’s stick to the topic discussed in the podcast. Personally, I like his idea about the Bird scooters. Something similar to this could very well be a great solution for both golfers and golf courses. The way Bird and similar companies operate now is that they put these scooters and bikes out there for anyone to use via an app and credit/debit card. When the batteries are discharged, these companies pay “contractors” to go pick up the scooters and recharge them during night time hours. This seems like the perfect solution for course operators. Let the cart operator make money on cart usage and let the course make money via storage and battery charging.

      Reply

      Andrew Han

      5 years ago

      The problem I see with Adam’s on demand bird scooter is that people will abuse that privilege by littering it around the course. Bad etiquette needs to be corrected. I can see the bird type working well in private courses, however. Let’s have three marshals regulate the course and a way to find the ball quicker.

      Richard Call

      5 years ago

      I’ve worked as a starter for over 20 years while going to school and now in retirement. Yanni is completely right about too many tee times or trying to get walk-on the back, etc. One Head Pro taught me about that about the enjoyment of just having the right amount of players on the course.

      Reply

      Dennis Cartwright

      5 years ago

      I have always enjoyed what I would call a leisurely round of golf which lasts around the 4 hour mark. Being retired, I enjoy the 3 times a week game to catch up with friends old and new both on the course and in the clubhouse afterwards. I cannot see the point in rushing round the course trying to break the world record for the quickest game. That to me would spoil the game for us senior’s. I can see the point in trying to speed up the pro’s game, but there again, they will not wish to hurry their game as they are playing for many ‘000’s of pounds/dollars

      Reply

      Yanni

      5 years ago

      You know what slows down pace of play?

      #1 Greedy course owners that jam the tee sheet and start the round with 3 groups on the first hole (tee, fairway and green). I’d gladly pay more for a staggered tee sheet. THE GAME IS DYING!

      #2 Drunks who think the golf course is a bar

      #3 Ignorance of etiquette and courtesy. It’s just not that hard to let people play through, play up or leave your shit at the exit point of the green.

      Reply

      Vance Hamilton

      5 years ago

      Thank you

      Reply

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